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What To See in Porto through 30 Porto Photos

18th March 2023

Running alongside the Douro River is picturesque Porto, Portugal’s second largest city after Lisbon. Porto is finally starting to get the tourist attention is deserves from around the world. We found out why when we visited the city as part of our Portugal 2 week trip. The city is effortlessly photogenic so we captured plenty of Porto photos during our stay. Let us show you what to see in Porto through our favourite 30 Porto photos.

Booked your Porto accommodation yet? Check out our guide to Where to Stay on Porto – The Best Areas

When standing on the south bank, looking across the river to Porto’s historic Ribeira district, the city looks like one of those pretty pop-up Christmas cards, minus the snow topped roofs. It’s a painting of colourful ageing terraces, ornate baroque churches, magnificent beaux-arts structures and rising bell towers. All jumbled on top of one another. It’s an awesome sight when illuminated by the Mediterranean sun. A must capture for any photographer taking Porto photos.

Check out our guide to the Best Things to do in Porto

While strolling around the Unesco World Heritage Site of the Ribeira district, you’ll easily discover what to see in Porto. You’ll see confetti covered newlyweds outside medieval churches. Locals catching up inside of old markets. Sun drenched cafes in the village looking squares and grand train stations decorated in storytelling Portuguese tiles.

Check out our guide to the Best Day Trips From Porto

Porto’s surprise for us was in-between all this beauty was an incredible amount of decaying and even ruined 20th-century townhouses. It seemed such a shame to see so many charming terraces left to fall apart. We learned that this is due to the young and monied moving to the popular coastal suburbs for the beachside lifestyle. But things are starting to change for Porto. The locals are moving back in and more tourists are starting to take notice. In turn, many of these decaying buildings are being renovated for your Porto photos pleasure.

Check out our guide to the Best Porto Wine Tours – Everything you Need to Know

With Porto’s growing popularity comes a new breed of activities to add to your list of what to see in Porto. Springing up every month across the city are new openings of boutique shops, quirky cafes, modern galleries and excellent restaurants to satisfy the fussiest of foodies.

Let’s not forget about the biggest card Porto has up its sleeve. Probably the king of what to see in Porto. Porto is, of course, the birthplace of Port Wine. Head on by foot or tram over the impressive ironwork showpiece that is Dom Luis Bridge (another Porto photos essential) to Vila Nova de Gaia. An area crammed full of wine and port cellars all open for tasting Porto’s finest tipples. All the big hitters are there alongside smaller boutique wineries so you can easily spend an afternoon or evening on a Port winery crawl. But remember to drink responsibly people! Or not 🙂

Do also enjoy the Douro River. There are fantastic walks to the west all the way to the coast. Or if you haven’t got the energy then the city’s river promenade is alive with fish restaurants and laid back bars to relaxingly wind away the day and night. The river also runs all the way east to the beautiful Douro Valley, one of the world’s oldest wine regions. Take a boat, train or drive along the river hugging track to see where all the port wine production began.

So that’s our brief tour of the city via 30 of our favourite Porto photos. Feel free to pin any photos you like.